MQM calls for a `day of mourning’ on Saturday to protest against extra-judicial killings of workers

Posted on: 2/7/2014 1

Muttahida Qaumi Movement Coordination Committee’s Member Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi has announced to observe a day of mourning on Saturday across Sindh to protest against the continuing incidences of extra-judicial killings of the party workers.
He also appealed to shopkeepers, traders, businessmen, industrialists and transporters to keep their businesses shut on the day of mourning on Saturday.
The MQM leader also appealed to the Supreme Court, President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, to take immediate notice of extra-judicial killing of its Korangi Sector’s worker, Muhammad Salman and others and the inhuman treatment being meted out and subjecting the party workers to severe torture during their detention and take stern action against the government officials involved in such heinous crimes.
The MQM also demanded that an FIR vis-a-vis murder of Muhammad Salman Shaheed be lodged against additional I-G, Shahid Hayat and concrete measures be taken for the recovery of all missing workers of MQM, besides a commission on the patter of recovering missing people of Balochistan be set up.
These demands were put forth by Mr Rizvi while addressing a news conference along with other members of MQM Coordination Committee – Senator Nasreen Jalil, Amir Khan, Adil Khan and Waseem Akhtar – at Azizabad’s Khursheed Begum Secretariat.
They said that not only the entire Pakistan but the whole world knew that the law and order of the entire country, particularly of Sindh and Karachi, was the dearest to the MQM and for which it had rendered immense sacrifices which, perhaps no other party, had strived for.
MQM was the only party which with a view to checking and controlling the criminal elements had requested the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Khan, to launch an army operation in the city, they said, adding that as a result of which the premier himself visited Karachi and after discussing the issue with all stakeholders, businessmen and industrialists approved and ordered targeted operation which had been supported by the MQM even today.
They said that in order to ensure transparency of the targeted operation it was imperative upon authorities concerned to set up a monitoring committee under the directives of the premier and the Interior Minister but regretfully no such measures were taken despite the fact that third phase of the operations which is tougher than two earlier phases had begun.
They deplored that although the premier and the Interior Minister had repeatedly stated that no innocent person would become victim of the targeted operation, 10 MQM workers had been killed in extra-judicial killings while 45 workers were still missing.
They said that unidentified personnel had adopted a new strategy whereby they get hold of MQM workers and after subjecting them to severe torture either release them after extorting money or kill them.
Voicing concern over missing of their workers after their arrest, they said that situation had assumed an alarming situation because their workers were being killed under official custody which, they added, amounted to judicial killing.
Terming Muhammad Salman’s killing as the 10th extra-judicial incident, they said that whereabouts of as many as 40 MQM workers who had gone missing during the targeted operation and five others who went missing prior to the operation was still unknown, besides it was not known whether they are alive or dead.
They deplored that although MQM with a view to getting its missing workers recovered and to bringing an end to the incidents of its workers going missing after their arrests raised the issue before every forum, used its democratic rights of staging peaceful protests in front of judiciary, brought the issue into the notice of people at the helm of affairs by recording its protests through news conferences, all its efforts have, so far, went in vain.
Regretting that MQM had got fed up with the taking out funerals of its beloved workers, they pointed out that its Korangi Sector (Unit 75) worker Muhammad Salman, son of Nooruddin, was whisked away by police personnel in a vehicle on Feb 3 when he along with his nephew was standing at Korangi Crossing while going to his place of work. His nephew Nauman was, however, let off at Tower whereas Salman’s body bearing several torture marks was found on Feb 4 in Landhi. The deceased Salman who had a limp in his one leg was employed in Civil Hospital as Time-Keeper.
Mr Rizvi demanded of the government to help provide justice to the bereaved family of late Salman by investigating into the matter through a judicial commission and give exemplary punishment to the personnel involved in such inhuman act.
He also appealed to human rights organization to take notice of MQM workers’ extra-judicial killings and raise their voice against such oppressive and suppressive measures.
Replying to a question, Mr Rizvi said that the situation being created in the city at a time when the country was passing through a critical stage was highly deplorable.
To another query, Senator Nasreen Jalil said that a case of judicial killing of Salman be registered against additional I-G, Shahid Hayat.